Archive for January, 2014

ISN Expands into Federal Government

Jan. 30th, 2014

ISN continues to expand into areas outside of heavy industry, particularly in the public sector across various levels of government.

Government agencies are constantly challenged to do more work with fewer resources while maintaining diligent processes. Governmental agencies hire thousands of contractors across projects that are vast in size and scope. Hiring and monitoring these contractors requires time, expertise, transparency and consistency.

ISN provides a cost-effective tool for streamlining these processes in keeping with industry best practices. ISN, with its global base of over 50,000 customers, has developed technology and data that can be leveraged by governmental agencies for data-driven decision making.

2013 in Review: A Year of Evolution

As we look back on 2013, we recall a year full of change and growth. Regulatory updates, functionality updates, new industries and new products all contributed to last year’s developments.

Some significant regulatory changes occurred in 2013. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) required all offshore operators impacted by their Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) requirement to submit their first SEMS audit last November. During these audits, offshore operators used ISNetworld’s Training Qualification tool to verify their contractors’ individual level training.

Think Before You Lift: Potential Hazards and Possible Solutions

Jan. 7th, 2014

Did you know that 80 percent of the population will experience a back problem at some point in their lives? U.S. statistics show that back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries. In the UK, back pain is the second-most common cause of long-term absence from work.

Heavy lifting is not something to take lightly.

So what can your company do to avoid contributing to these staggering statistics? Identify all potential hazards and come up with possible solutions for each scenario. OSHA identifies the following topics to consider when assessing hazards and solutions…

Province of Alberta Cracking Down on Workplace Safety

Jan. 2nd, 2014

For the first time, Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration will have the ability to issue monetary fines. The new legislation includes two types of financial penalties, on-site and administrative.

On-site tickets can be issued for up to $500 on the spot. The government also has the ability to issue administrative fines up to $10,000. OHS spokesman Brookes Merritt explained the administrative fines are primarily for “repeat non-compliers”. Both the on-site and administrative penalties can be issued to employers or individual workers, and administrative tickets can be appealed through the Alberta OHS.